


Smell Of Smoke (Whisky And Wine)

by weirdo-ing (TheRealBlackPearl)



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series)
Genre: Doctor!Sara, HighClass!Steven, M/M, MasterGunner!Andrew, Navigator!Adam, PalaceCook!Helen, Pirate!AU, PirateCaptain!Shane, Prince(cess?)!Ryan, Ryan'sFiance!Brent, Steven'sFiance!Ben
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-01-26 02:25:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12546732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRealBlackPearl/pseuds/weirdo-ing
Summary: There are good pirates too. They steal from the undeserving, evil rich and give their money to the poor.Ryan, my baby. Remember- you must always believe in the good pirates.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fic title came from Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl.

This is a story about kindness.

It is a love story; full of desperation, hope, sadness, warmth and determination that all good love stories should have.

But above everything, this is a story about a chance meeting, an act of kindness.

And it is a story about fate.

*

Ryan wakes up and knows that everything’s gone wrong.

He should be dead; they killed everyone else. He watched them surround the carriage, taking down one guard after another.

He had screamed when the masked figures tear down his defenses, none of the guards ready for a sudden assault.

In the end, he had slipped into unconsciousness with a flare of pain at the back of his head, thinking that this was the last thing he’d see: the grass dyed in a shade of dark red, littered with dismembered body parts; smoke, thick with ash and repugnant with death.

_(He slipped into darkness hearing a voice yell, “I’ve got him, I’ve got the son of the king-”. It was the end; he knew it was the end.)_

But then he wakes. And breathes.

Against all odds, he is _alive_.

*

_(He had been raised a Christian- so he knows and understands the concept of the afterlife.)_

_(When he recalls what he had seen after he exited his carriage- the blood, the dismembered bodies, the smoke- he remembers the illustrations of ‘hell’ in the books he read.)_

_(And that’s when he thinks; that’s it. I was there.)_

*

He wakes when he doesn’t expect to; he’s alive with the determination to keep living.

His head is still throbbing from the hit that knocked him out; so when his vision finally clears and he looks up to see his surroundings- he wonders if he was hallucinating.

His assaulters, the bandits _(ten of them, he counts)_ all sprawled on the ground, in the midst of thick, red blood; all seemingly dead.

His wipes his face and notices the splashes of blood scattered across his shirt, across his waistcoat, across his breeches.

His hands and legs were strangely unbound, yet he’s bruised where the ropes once presumably was.

But he is alive.

So he staggers to his feet and runs.

*

_"Ryan, you are to be wed to the only son of the Bennett family- Brent Bennett.”_

_“From today onwards, he is your fiancé.”_

_“You will obey my orders, because this union will prove useful to the future of our country.”_

_“You don’t have a choice.”_

Ryan has lived his whole life being told what to do- and he doesn’t mind it.

*

His best friend, Steven Lim had other ideas- which he expressed quite vocally.

“Ryan, you need to call off this engagement- you can’t marry someone just because your father commanded you!” He argues. “What about your feelings? You never even saw Brent that way!”

Ryan raises an eyebrow and starts. “Well, aren’t you in the same situation here with your recent engagement with Ben?”

“ _Ugh._ ” Steven groaned, “Well, at least I’m trying to fight my parents about it!”

Ryan rolled his eyes and popped another piece of sliced apple into his mouth.

“You’re the son of a mayor- you’re not marrying for the sake of the country.” Ryan says, chewing carefully. “They just want you to marry Ben for his social status! Really, you have it easy.”

They stayed silent for a moment before older man starts, his voice sobering up and his playful façade gone.

“Ryan, you can’t just- you can’t let your father dictate your life like this.”

Ryan let out a small smile at the worried man.

“I’m fine, Steven. If anything- I haven’t felt better in ages. Anyways, I’ll take my leave now.”

*

_(Steven had always been one to defy what has been set in stone- no matter the consequences.)_

_(Ryan had always thought that Steven was the braver one of the two.)_

*

Contrary to popular belief- he isn’t stupid.

He understands what Steven’s getting at- marrying someone who you don’t love- purely for the sake of a country was just plain _sad_.

But he does not object his father.

He wouldn’t, not when he can indulge himself with whatever he wants; not when his status has everyone obeying to his every whim.

He doesn’t oppose his father, not even when he’s marrying into a loveless relationship for a stupid political benefit.

He figured that _that_ wouldn’t be the worst thing that has ever happened to him before.

*

His father wasn’t always like this- shutting him out, ignoring him, viewing him as a property to be used only for the country’s benefit.

He’s struggling to remember the way his father would smile at him, his eyes crinkling at the sides and lips pulled back to reveal a large, handsome grin.

He’s starting to forget the way his mother’s voice sounded- her tinkling laughter and giggles on a bright Sunday afternoon.

He doesn’t remember the last time he felt the warm, fuzzy feeling of genuine happiness in his heart.  

Those days had passed by like a dream- a haze that Ryan wishes to submerge himself in.

*

Now, all he can remember is the muffled sound of a gunshot.

He remembers the way his mother’s body had collapsed in front of him- shielding him, protecting him.

Taking a bullet that was _meant for him_.

He remembers feeling the weakening pulse of his mother’s limp body, hearing the screams resounding in his ears and watching as his hands dyed into a shade of ruby red.

*

He had watched as a sword pierced through the assassin’s torso, the way the man collapsed on the ground with a loud ‘thump’.

He had watched as the defense guards surrounded him and his shouting father, tearing up as his mother looked up to him with such clear adoration in her eyes.

“ _Live,_ my baby.” She had sighed, her voice coming out like a soft whisper.

“ _Live… And go achieve what I never could._ ”

*

_(His father was never the same afterwards, locking himself up in his room- ignoring and emotionally neglecting his son in favor of the country’s paperwork)._

_(Ryan knows that his father thinks that it’s his fault that his wife was dead.)_

_(The assassin was clearly aiming for him; not his mother. She had jumped forward to protect him- and if it wasn’t for him she would still be alive today, his father would still be happy-)_

_(Ryan blames himself, too.)_

*

Even when Ryan knows that he’s far away from the place that he woke up at, he still moves as fast as he can.

There’s no one chasing him- but he doesn’t believe that. He’s sure that one of them survived and would find him and kill him.

Its night- he’s lost one of his shoes on the way; his blue waistcoat in tatters- his once pristine white shirt now tainted in blotches of red.

He’s running purely on adrenaline now- so he lasts much longer than he normally could.

But he’s cold. And scared. And he’s running out of energy.

And that was when he picks up the scent of seaweed, which faintly lingered in the air.

*

He had always liked the sea.

His mother, before her untimely death- used to bring him to the docks to play.

She would teach him how to build sandcastles, how to find the perfect seashell, how to swim- but never too far into the sea.

He remembers lying underneath the night sky, his mother teaching him how to read the stars as a compass- how to survive if he was ever stranded.

He doesn’t know why he remembers it now, but he heads towards the sea all the same.

*

He doesn’t think twice when he sees a large ship docked against the harbor in a distance.  

In his defense- with the little moonlight he had- he assumed that the outer layer of the ship was in tatters; which led him to immediately think that it was an abandoned ship.

He jogs towards the ship, noticing the stairs that led onto the deck- and alright. That was weird.  _(But he was tired and hungry and scared-)_

He looks around for any weapon- anything for him to hold just in case someone _(or something- Ryan’s mind supplies helpfully- before shuddering at the thought of ghosts)_ attacks him amidst the darkness.

He knows it’s a bad idea, but he doesn’t have a choice.

Between staying outside _(with the chance of his attackers finding him)_ and going inside the seemingly stranded ship- Ryan took his chances.

He boards the ship.

*

He almost collapses when he opens a door, his legs shaking beneath him as he stumbles into what he assumes is the cargo of the ship.

He shuts the door behind him, breath coming out in uneven pants as he grips the stick he picked up outside.

_(He thinks that he’s finally safe- that he’s finally able to relax.)_

_(He thinks that he’ll rest for tonight, and prepare to find his way home tomorrow.)_

He plans his next move.

*

In the dark, unknown to the tired man- a pair of brown eyes stare silently at the figure slumped in the middle of the room.

The eyes wonders why the younger male looked so familiar.

*

It was after ten minutes that his heart finally calms that he starts to take in his surroundings.

_(He realizes that he should’ve did that from the beginning- but sue him, he was tired.)_

So when he takes in a polished table, a dozen flickering candles lighted across the room and a comfortable looking bed- he wonders how he didn’t realize it from the start.

And when he hears the soft sound of laughter coming from behind him- he knows he fucked up.

*

“Oh, and aren’t you a cute little one?” a deep, melodic voice breathes into his ear, sending a yelp and a shiver through the smaller man’s spine.

“ _Are you here to kill me?_ ”

*

Ryan admits that he does _not_ react well.

He releases a high-pitched scream before attempting to swing his _(pathetic)_ stick towards whoever it was that had managed to catch him off guard.

Admittedly, he was never trained for combat- so he only realizes what had happened after he’s pressed face first onto the ground; a pair of large hands and a heavy leg holding him down, his weapon nowhere to be found.

He was disarmed in the flick of a wrist. He groaned in pain as a hand tightened around his neck, leaving him breathless.

“ _Ah-_ a feisty one, aren’t you?” Ryan swore that he could _hear_ the voice smirk, the figure pressing down on him _hard_.

“You’re too careless to even be an assassin. I could’ve killed you so many times before you had even entered the ship.”

Ryan felt his heart grow cold at the implications of this man’s words, his blood seemingly turning to ice as he froze.

“Tell me- what are you doing here?”

*

He barely has enough breath to whimper out his response, his mind going fuzzy with the lack of air.

“ _Let me go_ , _you asshat_ ;” he manages to spit, feeling the attacker’s hand tighten even further around his throat. He groans at the warning squeeze before answering the question.

“ _Fuck you-_ I’m just looking for a shelter, _ugh, stop it-_ My carriage was attacked by bandits and now I’m stranded-”

The voice releases its hold, and Ryan sprawled forward and coughed, glad to finally be able to breathe properly.

“Wait- _you’re_ the guy I saved on the way here?”

*

Ryan looked up from the ground, his coughs finally subsiding. He blinked away the tears that formed in his struggle as his attacker’s words sink in.

“What-” Ryan looks up from his position and stops, because _wow sweet Jesus how does someone look so good like that-_

He cuts himself off when he realizes that he’s been gawking, the taller man tilting his head in confusion as his eyebrows furrowed.

He wants to hit himself for getting side tracked.

“What do you mean you saved me?” he finally asks, narrowing his eyes and looking at the mystery man- who in turn looked away with a strange look on his expression.

There was a stagnant pause before the older man starts.

“I came across the last of the kidnapping,” he finally says, refusing to look at Ryan’s eyes. “I was in the area for… business. Anyways, I took care of the bandits. End of story.”

Ryan opened his mouth to protest, but the taller man cut him off with a clap and a command.

“You guys don’t have to hide anymore. He’s clear. He doesn’t have any weapons, so stop pointing yours at him.”

Ryan watched in amazement as figures stepped out from the shadows; each of them armed with a different weapon as they glanced at him wearily before keeping it away.

*

_(Pirates roam the sea, he suddenly remembers his mother whispering him a story, his dad snoring in the background. They’re big bad guys that steal money and hurt others.)_

_(Her expression was strange, almost sour, when the pirates in the story were killed- when the story was over and the hero wins, when the people rejoice.)_

_(There are good pirates too, she had added on, later, at night when the story’s over and he’s about to fall asleep. They steal from the undeserving, evil rich and give their money to the poor.)_

_(Ryan, my baby. She looked at him in the eyes. Remember- you must always believe in the good pirates.)_

*

Ryan isn’t sure why he suddenly remembers his mother’s teachings, before he finally takes note of the people surrounding him.

Some of them wore cravats instead of collars, justacorps, white button-downs with their cuffs turned back, waistcoats and breeches.

And then it suddenly occurred to him, why he thought about what his mother said to him- the tall man’s authority and the people’s actions- the seemingly abandoned ship- the guns and swords tied around their belts-

“Oh,” Ryan says, dumbfolded. “You’re pirates.”

*

“You’re kidding- why do I have to mop the deck!? And why the hell do I need to stay in a prison cell!?”

The captain of the Grey Ghost- Shane raised an eyebrow at the whiny complaint from the younger man.

“If you’re not happy with that- I can get you to clean the toilets, too.” Shane says, his voice steely as the younger man fumed. “Anyways- who gave you permission to come in the captain’s quarters?”

“You know _full well_ that I don’t even want to be here in the first place!” Ryan argues, his hands clenched into fists as he tried to think about hitting the haughty captain in the face.

“I’ve told you-” he spits, “I’m literally the prince of a country- How dare you treat me with such disrespect!? You’re just a mere pirate!”

Shane leaned back on his chair, his lips pursed as he glared at the younger man; his calm exterior melting away.

“What _you_ don’t understand, Ryan Bergara- is that we’re fucking pirates.” He starts. “It may come to your _royal ass_ as a surprise, but in the sea- _you’re nothing_. Status is _nothing._ You’re just like the rest of us puny _humans_.”

Shane grabs Ryan by his collar and pulls him close, their faces almost touching as he leans forward.

“Don’t forget- you’re our hostage for your dear _daddy_ to pay up.” He growls. “Now, if you want to eat and actually sleep in a good room- I suggest you quickly shut the fuck up and go get the mops.”

Ryan slaps Shane’s hand away from his shirt and storms off, angry and upset.

*

It took a few days for Ryan’s pet bird Boogara to track him down.

Ryan was sulking while mopping the deck _(as usual, after a heated argument with Shane that ended with the taller captain throwing him out of his office)_ when he hears the familiar cry of his pet honing pigeon.

He looks to the sky, eyes wide when he spots a bird flying in circles on top of the Grey Ghost.

His lips pull back to a large smile as he continues to mop the floor, eager to hide away from the rest of the swabs.

*

He manages to slip past the pirates on duty- Claude and Jocelyn before heading towards the edge of the boat.

The edge of the boat was a relatively secluded area- Ryan had found out about it when he was escaping his nightly mopping duties on the deck.

He remembers the day he found it as clear as if it was yesterday.

*

_(Ryan’s heart was beating fast as he snuck away from his nightly duties, hoping to find a place to hide until it was curfew.)_

_(He glanced at a door he hadn’t explored yet- the wood polished and the handle new. He wonders what he would find there.)_

_(He slowly opens the door and was greeted with the marvelous view of the vast night sky, the beautiful twinkling stars, and to his horror- two figures entangled with one another on the ground.)_

_*_

_(Ryan had walked in to the master navigator Adam and the master gunner Andrew kissing; their hands groping around each other’s bodies; both panting heavily and moaning deeply.)_

_(He let out a choked off sound before the two males turned, their eyes widening and jaws slacking.)_

_(Ryan wasn’t sure if he was more mortified than Andrew over the embarrassing revelation.)_

_*_

_(And Ryan was never going to forget the way Adam had simply stared at Ryan for a moment, as if contemplating his worth- before turning back to Andrew and continuing his sexual administrations.)_

_(Ryan backed away, hearing Andrew’s mortified and muffled protests before turning around and shutting the door- as if nothing had happened.)_

_(I saw nothing, he convinced himself as he stared into the empty corridors. I saw fucking nothing.)_

_(He desperately willed the surprise hard-on in his breeches to please go away-)_

*

Ryan let out a small whistle under his breath, the breeze brushing his black hair backwards as he stretched out his arm.

Boogara instantly came swooping down from the sky, landing on Ryan’s outstretched arm with smooth curve. Immediately, she rubbed her head onto Ryan’s with a happy chirp.

“Hey there, my princess.” he giggled as the bird squawked, its eyes wide and feathers ruffling. “I know, I know. I’ve missed you too, baby. Oh? _Ahahah- Boo, that’s ticklish!”_

The bird cooed happily before reaching its leg out, a roll of paper present around her ankle.

Ryan smiled.

*

 _Ryan,_ the paper read.

_I hope Boo found you and you’re reading this. Are you alright? What happened?_

_I’ve been trying to get permission to go look for you for the past two weeks- considering you never made it home after visiting me- but my parents won’t even let me take a step out of the house._

_They think whatever’s got you is going to come after me, too. They’re paranoid._

_You’ve been missing for two weeks, now. Everything’s different without you here._

_You need to get back to me as soon as you can. I’m worried, and please be safe._

_Love, Steven._

*

 _Of course_ Steven was the one who released Boo- Boo was never one to listen to anyone else other than him or Steven.

He quickly fished out a quill and a piece of paper he snuck out of the captain’s room, his heart beating fast as he scratched out a quick reply.

_Attacked by bandits on the way back. Ended up in a pirate ship called the Grey Ghost. I’m a hostage now. Just make sure father pays up when they officially demand for money._

_Can tell the coordinates from the stars. Am currently around the South Pacific Ocean. Don’t look for me, I’ll be home before you know it._

_Take care, Ryan._

He reads the letter once again before rolling it up and attaching it to the pigeon’s foot, ready for the letter to be sent back to his best friend.

*

Boo cooed sadly.

“ _Princess,_ ” Ryan starts, his voice sad as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. “Yeah, I know… I’m sorry, but you need to transport this back to Steven. _Hey-_ I miss you too, alright?”

He stroked the pigeon’s head before kissing it on its beak.

“You’ll be a good girl and send it back to Steven, won’t you?” he whispers. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

As if understanding the finality in her master’s words, the honing pigeon ruffled its feathers before flying off into the blue sky.

Ryan wishes that he could be free, too.

*

Ryan spends the next few weeks doing several odd jobs that he would never have to do back in his palace.

He mopped the decks till his hands bled, cleaned the bathrooms _(he was forced to- after a particularly nasty fight with the captain- Shane the dick),_ and basically worked as a servant for everyone on board.

So when the ship was attacked by bandits at midnight- he never expected that he would actually get hurt _protecting_ the pirates.

*

Ryan wakes up to shouting outside his makeshift ‘cell’, his hard bed creaking underneath him as he jumped up.

He was disoriented as he opened his cell door and exited the cellar- to the fire on the ground, the sound of swords clanking and pistols firing.

He gapes at the chaos of different pirates fighting against one another, screaming and swearing.

He then notices Shane, the captain standing in the middle of the battlefield, his sword gleaming against the bright fire.

He watches, strangely transfixed; as the tall man swings his bloodied sword with deadly efficiency, killing one bandit after another; scarlet blood splashing onto his clothes.

He thinks then- that the man looked ethereally beautiful; the hard look in his eyes and the roguish smile formed on his lips- the way the bodies seemed to fall around him as he walks in the midst of the roaring fire.

*

He snaps himself out of his daze, looking around in panic for something to cover him from the violence all around. He scrambles to the floor when he notices a discarded gun, and cradles it in his hands.

He knows that he has to pull back the trigger or something to shoot- he figured it would be easy before cocking the gun in his hands.

Glancing to his right, he sees Andrew shouting and shooting at the bandits, his back turned towards the sea.

And that was when he notices a grinning, ugly man creeping up the boat, a gun in hand and ready to shoot at the unknowing gunner-

He doesn’t think twice before shoving Andrew away, pulling the trigger at the figure before feeling the trigger rip the skin out of his hand and as white hot pain erupted on his right leg-

He falls to the ground and hears a splash as the dead man drops into the ocean.

*

“ _Fuck- Ryan!”_ Ryan could hear a terrified voice call to him as he groans. “Are you alright- oh fucking hell, you’ve been shot!”

He looks up with tear filled eyes as the master gunner crouched over him, his hands pressing against his wound.

“I’m fine _,”_ Ryan groaned as he tried to move his leg. He gasped as pain seared up his spine. “Okay, maybe I’m not fine- but just focus on getting the bandits off the boat! I’ll just, stay here and try not to die-”

Andrew glanced upwards as cheers erupted from the bottom of the deck, voices booming over one-another. He stilled.

Then, Andrew looked back down to Ryan and grinned, and _wow Ryan can understand why Adam’s all over this man because holy shit that’s fucking hot-_

“We won!”

*

Ryan didn’t expect Shane to blow up like he did upon seeing Andrew carrying him- in a princess hold.

Andrew fretted over him before finally deciding that carrying Ryan in a princess hold was the most efficient way to bring him to the infirmary without further aggravating his wound.

Ryan felt as if he was going to pass out- he’s pretty sure he lost _a lot_ of blood. And also because a _really hot man who is conveniently taken is carrying him down the stairs like a princess._

As they descended the stairs to where the celebration was- he closed his eyes and prepared for the mocking laughter by the pirates at his embarrassing situation.

He thinks that if he acted as if he passed out- perhaps that way he could pretend that he didn’t know a single thing about this situation.

So when he braced himself with the mocking laughter from the pirates- he was instead greeted with empty silence.

And then, he hears a silent, but enraged voice.

“Get your hands _off_ him _, Andrew.”_

*

Ryan blinked his eyes open. That was _not_ the reaction he was expecting.

Especially when that same voice had yelled and growled at him every day for the past few weeks.

He looks down and sees the _furious_ look on Shane’s face, the way the entire ship was suddenly pin-drop silent, the way the pirates gapped at the sudden change of atmosphere-

“Shane..?” he whispers and feels his head swim, his vision darkening and his thoughts scatter.

He then misses the look of surprised pleasure on the captain’s face as darkness overwhelms his vision.

Andrew jerks in surprise as Ryan slumps in his arms, and all hell broke loose.

*

He wakes up in an unfamiliar room, his head throbbing as he recognizes the voices in the room.

“-killed someone for me,” Andrew continues, “He saved my life- that bandit was climbing the boat and I didn’t see him at all.”

“ _I get it_.” Shane snaps, his voice grim. “But it really isn’t like you to not notice someone behind you.”

Andrew stays silent before another voice speaks up.

“It’s my fault.” Adam speaks up from across the room, his usually monotone voice now filled with guilt.  “We… we had a fight, and both of us were distracted. I'm sorry. This won’t happen again.”

Ryan hears shuffling as Shane sighs.

“Well, I can’t have my master gunner and my master navigator both getting distracted; alright?”

He hears footsteps and shuts his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He tries not to jump in surprise when the Shane's voice starts from his bedside.

“Adam, you’re off any manual duties until Sara says you’re clear to go.” Shane commands. “And Andrew- I expect you to resolve this… situation of yours with your boyfriend.”

He hears the two sigh in agreement before leaving the room, the door shutting behind them.

Ryan feels Shane watching him sleep, feels the older man’s eyes bear into him. He tries not to twitch or shuffle, not to do anything to suggest that he's awake.

And then he feels something touch his cheek. He feels a gust of wind blow across his eye as something touched his jaw, and then  _lips_ -

He thinks his heart has gone overdrive when the feeling disappeared as quickly as it came- and he feels, more than hears the older man leave as the door clicks shut.

He opens his eyes, feeling a hot blush spread across his face, feeling as if the temperature in the room was turned up by a few hundred degrees.

He doesn’t know what just happened.

*

As soon as the doctor- Sara Rubin gives him permission to be able to do manual work on the ship, Ryan internally celebrates.

As much as it was nice to see Andrew fret around him- it soon became slightly weird when he feels Shane staring at him, observing his every move.

He stops complaining about his duties, slowly getting used to staying on the ship as he finally became friends with the other pirates on board- and learns each and every one of their individual stories.

He was also moved from his makeshift ‘prison’ into a shared room- with a proper bed and a desk with an oil lamp for reading.

Ryan thinks that he doesn't mind this, at all.

*

Ryan still bursts into the captain’s room from time to time- but never to complain about work.

Now, they argue about what they believe in, they talk and they have civilized conversations without going at each other’s throats. _(Most of the time.)_

They debate against one another about any topics, ranging from their love for corn to whether _ghosts_ were real. _(Ryan thinks that Shane is absolutely insufferable when proving that ghosts are fake.)_

Ryan thinks Shane tolerates his presence, now. _(He reminds himself that he’s a hostage- that he’s expendable for Shane.)_

Shane never mentions why he kissed Ryan that day. _(And Ryan doesn’t have the guts to bring it up.)_

He thinks that he likes the way they are, right now. _(Just as it is.)_

*

He was assigned to share a room with Claude and Adam- whom both seem to like his presence around the room- which Ryan takes as a win.

He looks around the room and recognizes a few of the books that the two other men read- and manages to find a common ground between them to talk about.

And upon finding out about Ryan’s skill to read the stars for their exact coordinates- Adam had asked if Ryan wanted to help him out with his navigation duties, which Ryan accepted readily.

He thinks that everything’s going well.

*

He finds himself wondering if he misses the life he had before this.

_(Being assigned into a loveless marriage just for political benefit, being ignored by his own father, having others cleaning up his mess and spending the rest of his days bored-)_

He decides that perhaps he doesn’t.

_(He thinks that maybe this is what Steven was always talking about, what he was always working towards, all along.)_

_(To be able to have a taste of this freedom, to be able to decide whatever he wants for himself, to be able to be selfish- for once.)_

_(To be able to taste the consequences of any mistake he makes, and to know with full knowledge that there are people backing him up if he ever falls.)_

_(He thinks that they’re his family, now.)_

*

He doesn’t want anything to break this freedom of his. _(He thinks that he’s in too deep.)_

He loves the way the ship rocks gently above the sea, the way the wind blows his hair out of his eyes-  _(The way he gets to see Shane every morning, afternoon and night.)_

He loves it, here.  _(He loves it, with Shane.)_

And he knows with full knowledge that these days won’t last, not when he’s merely an expendable hostage.  _(Not when the older man doesn't even see him that way.)_

*

And when Adam bursts through the captain’s door, cutting off Ryan and Shane’s debate on whether apples or pineapples tasted better- he knows that the calm days are over.  _(He'd been dreading for this day.)_

Andrew trails behind Adam, a flushed look in his face as they pull a silver haired man into the room, his familiar voice gasping and exclaiming in surprise.

Ryan stands up, because he _recognizes_ that voice.

And he hasn’t heard it since he left his house five weeks ago- before getting himself attacked and kidnapped by bandits; and now, held hostage by pirates.

_“Steven!?”_

“Hey, Ry!” the Chinese man grinned, soaked from top to bottom. “Since your asshole dad refused to send out a search team for you- I came to find you myself!”

*

Ryan knows that there are good pirates and bad pirates in this world.  _(He never questioned what his mother told him.)_

He thinks that against all odds, he has found the good ones.  _(And against all odds- he has fallen in love with one.)_

And he intends to follow what his mother told him- up until the very end.  _(Even if it meant to defy his father; even if it meant to defy the entire world.)_

He decides that he will not stop putting his faith into those words. _(To always believe in the good pirates.)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who are you,” Adam hisses. “And what are you doing on our ship?”
> 
> “We might just kill you depending on your answer,” Andrew breathes. “Speak.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I know it's almost a month since i posted and I am so sorry asdfdghjk  
> wow I'm honestly garbage at keeping my own deadlines  
> I'm so sorry for the late update! My life has been pretty hectic lately and I'm still stuck in a writer's block, so I hope you all will understand :/  
> I don't know if I've written this to my best extent, but I sure do hope you all will enjoy it!  
> Thank you all for being patient with me!

There are pirates in the sea, and good boys know better than to venture into the sea after dark.

But Steven Lim is not a good boy.

*

All his life his parents would tell him what he couldn’t do.

“Good boys do not have adventures.”

“Good boys do not befriend pirates.”

“Good boys do not fight battles.”

“Good boys are not loud; you have no need for your own opinion.”

And when he asked, “Alright then, what do good boys do?”

His mother replied, “You marry well. Thank god you are handsome. If you’re very good and well-behaved, maybe one day you will be rewarded and you can marry a person with high social status.”

Steven decided right then and there that he would not be good, or well-behaved.

*

It’s not like he hates his parents- really, it’s the exact opposite.

He loves his parents, but he does not approve of their idea on teaching him what he could and couldn’t be.

He understands where they’re getting at- getting married to someone of a higher social status was really the easiest way to climb the social ladder, to get money quick, to make his parents proud.

But when he looks at the children his age, running and laughing outside as they play with one-another, their giggles and shouts filling the air- he can’t help the ugly feeling of jealousy that wells up within him.

He doesn’t know what to do.

*

He loathes the cooking classes, the dance classes, the cleaning classes he has to attend every day.

It’s a constant reminder that his parents were preparing him to be wed, to be the perfect husband for whoever he will marry in the future.

It made him feel as if he was an object made to be given to others- that he was created to please others, and never himself.

He doesn’t know what to feel about that.

*

And like all children who love their parents, Steven craved for his parents’ approval and praise.

He had quietly started a rebellion- he stopped listening to his tutors, stopped doing his homework, stopped attending his lessons in lieu to hiding in places only he knew.

So after another tense dinner where Steven refused yet again to listen to his tutors, to the adults trying to ingrain into him what he could do and couldn’t do- his mother grows quiet.

And then she cries.

*

When his father looks at him with such disappointment in his eyes that it breaks his heart- he decides to give in.

But that doesn’t mean that he would do exactly as they say till he dies, no- he doesn’t plan to live a life that was carefully planned out by his parents.

Instead, he will _pretend_ to be a good boy. He will do what they want him to do, learn all the things they want him to learn.

He’ll bid his time. _(He’ll change their minds, however slowly.)_

*

His world explodes when he’s 10 years old.

A dangerous organization emerges from the dark and the whole town watches.

Steven’s excited at first, because it was like every story book he’s ever read- the way heroes stood up against the bad guys and the way the people cheered for them. It was cool!

Then they take him in his sleep, and it isn’t fun anymore.

*

They take him into an abandoned house and lock him there.

“His dad’s the mayor of the town, we can use him to get money to start off our plan.”

“He’s pretty enough to be sold as a sex slave if it doesn’t work out.”

“Let’s show him who owns him, now.”

They shove him against the wall, their knives glinting menacingly against the flickering fireplace.

He struggled and screamed as they held him down, rough voices and hands all over his body as white hot pain suddenly seared from his back-

He screamed his voice raw, banging his head against the wall as his sobs and cries resounded in the house.

A white hot poker shoved against his back, branding him like an animal.

_(A brand that will haunt him in times to come.)_

*

The men watch with glee as the trembling boy beneath them slumps.

And then, to their horror- they watch as the boy’s hair start to _change_.

*

White, silvery strands flow from the roots of his dark hair.

They seep into his black hair, weaving and interlocking against one another as the once black strands start to turn silver.

The men freeze, their hearts thumping and faces paling as they stare at the unmoving boy.

“What the fuck is happening-”

“Dude, is he a fucking witch-”

“This never happened before-”

And Steven falls to the ground, his body twisting and jerking unnaturally-

The men flee from the home, yelling and scrambling away from the _witch_.

*

At that time, no one realized that Steven had a seizure, right after passing out from the pain of the branding.

His hair turned pure white from the trauma- and had never changed back, since then.

All they knew was that something out of their knowledge was happening, and no one knew what to do.

They simply ran.

*

Steven wakes up in his bed, his ears ringing and arms heavy.

He looks down at his mother, perched by his bedside, black hair greying as she sleeps.

His father sits by a chair, snoring and groaning. The chair creaks underneath his body, the cushion doing nothing to support his terrible posture.

It was then that he notices the dark circles under their eyes, the tear stains on his mother’s cheeks, their usually impeccable outfits and hair disheveled.

He doesn’t know why his chest _clenches_ , why tears start to fall from his eyes, why he suddenly wants to hug them both tightly in his arms.

_(He hadn’t thought that they cared about him.)_

*

They don’t talk about the brand on his back. The brand that proves that he’s a slave to the organisation- that the men had defiled him-

That he was going to be sold to someone as a sex slave, had the men not ran away.

_(Steven doesn’t want to talk about it, either.)_

*

No children dare to come close to him- his silver hair a famous legend within the community.

“My mom said that you’re a witch!” they would scream. “You’re disgusting!”

“Run!” they would mock. “The witch is gonna curse you!”

_“S-stay away from me!”_

They say that humans fear what they don’t know- and Steven accepts it.

He accepts the fact that no one was going to talk to him, that he was destined to be alone-

And then Ryan Steven Bergara introduces himself to him, with that boyish smile on his face.

*

When he receives a reply from Ryan that Ryan was alive- that his best friend was attacked by bandits and then kidnapped by pirates-

He immediately sends a messenger to deliver the news to the king, his eyes wide and voice catching.

_Prince Ryan is not dead. His best friend is alive._

*

He waits for a reply.

Days past by agonizingly slowly, and the messenger does not return.

He wonders if the king even cares. _(Wonders why he thought the king would.)_

*

“With all due respect, your majesty; Ryan has been kidnapped and all you’re bothered about is how the chicken is undercooked!?”

Steven’s angry voice rings through the now silent ballroom, seething and fuming and the king’s blatant disregard to his own son.

King Steve Bergara sits on his throne, his chin tilted to Steven, eyes piercing.

The cook before him trembles, her brown hair draped across her shoulders as she clenches her cap tightly.

The silence is suffocating.

*

The whole room is still, Steven’s own parents gapping at him and Ben looking at him with something akin to awed fear in his eyes.

Even Ryan’s own fiancé- Brent, was staring at him as if he just saw a ghost.

The king raises a hand and shoos the cook away, her eyes glinting with tears as she glances at Steven, gratitude clear in her face as she shuffles away.

“Well,” The King drawls, “You seem to have forgotten that he was visiting _you_ when he went missing.”

Steven freezes, his expression turning from one of anger to one of disbelief.

He wills himself not to show any weakness, not to feel _anything-_

“Know your place, child.” The condescending voice snarls. “I _should_ be holding _you_ accountable for my son’s disappearance- but out of respect for your parents, I will not.”

Steven gaps at the king, his hands trembling and his head swimming.

His parents chuckle slowly and thank the king in their fake smiles, their fake words, and Steven _just can’t stand it anymore_ -

He stands up with a loud _clank_ , and all the heads in the ballroom turn to him, their eyes boring into him.

_(Steven wills himself not to crumble, not to falter.)_

“Thank you, my majesty.” He says, his voice dripping with venom. “I hope you have a jolly good dinner, because I will not stand to merely sit here and pretend everything is fine while my best friend is in danger.”

_(He knows the consequences of his actions, but if this is what it takes for them to take Ryan’s kidnapping seriously-)_

_(He’ll do anything for Ryan.)_

He turns and walks towards the door, his shoes clanking against the now silent room.

The guards shuffle uncomfortably before letting him pass the door, and he turns around one last time and spits.

“You’re pathetic, my King.”

He leaves the room, leaving the palace in a state of uproar.

*

He feels the hot sting of his mother’s nails across his cheek, the dull, throbbing pain of his father’s belt marked against his back.

“You’ve shamed us,” his mother gasps, “You’ve shamed the entire family.”

His father stands over his crouched figure, his hand trembling as he grips his belt tighter.

“Is this what we raised you to be?” He asks, anger evident in his normally quiet voice. “A failure of a man who doesn’t have a single ounce of respect!?”

Steven stays silent, and doesn’t say a thing.

_(He doesn’t trust himself to say what they want to hear.)_

*

It was after the beating, the screaming and the crying that Steven is finally banished into his room.

“Maybe some peace and quiet will make you understand the severity of what you did just then.”  

“I know this is not who you really are, Steven.”

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

He’s just so sick and tired of everything, of the way his parents are acting, of the way everyone’s pretending that everything’s okay, as if no one cared about the missing prince-

His head swims as he crashes onto his bed, his vision blurring and eyes watering.

And that was when he hears the sound of stones being thrown against his window.

*

“Ben!?”

The brown-haired man looks up to him from the grass, his eyes twinkling before smiling wearily.

“Hey, fiancé. Mind letting me up?”

*

“-And they just wouldn’t listen to me, Ben-”

Ben chuckles and ruffles Steven’s silver hair, shuffling closer to the younger man as he breathes.

“Hey, Steven.”

The silver-haired man looks up to his fiancé, eyes wide and cheeks red from the autumn chill.

Ben stills, his heart beating fast.

“Do you want to run away, together?”

_(An idea sprouts within Steven’s heart, here.)_

*

Steven stops breathing.

“Ben, do you know what you’re talking about?” He gaps, “What about your parents? What about your sister? Wait, no- You want to run away!?”

“Yes,” Ben says, “We can run away together- we can forget about everything and _live in peace_.”

“ _And what?”_ Steven asks. “What about Ryan? We’re just going to forget about him too?”

“His father will come through. After all, it won’t sit well with the people if the prince dies.”

He thinks of Ryan- the way the younger male left his house that fateful day with an empty smile, his usual boyish grin gone and nowhere to be seen.

He thinks of the way the younger male talked to him when no-one did, the way the younger male listened to his problems and complaints, the way the younger male would always hide his own problems behind an easy smile.

Ryan was his first friend. And he won’t exchange that for anything in the entire world.

“I’m sorry, Ben.” He says, standing up. “But I have a troublesome best friend to look for.”

_(Even if it means to give up everything.)_

*

Ben reaches the ground, his polished shoes squelching against the damp grass.

He looks up at his fiancé’s bedroom- the light from the candles flickering against the walls.

He hears the silver-haired man’s troubled mumbling, shuffling and searching for supplies to bring to his journey. _(A journey that he might not return from.)_

He wants to go- but he can’t. He knows he isn’t needed, that he isn’t wanted. _(He wants to be- he always had. But, alas-)_

He breathes.

_“I love you.”_

The wind carries his broken whisper far, far away.

*

Steven was thinking of sneaking down to the kitchen to gather supplies before someone knocks on the door.

He swiftly kicks his bag underneath his bed and walks towards the door, making sure he was looking upset before swinging the door open.

And that was when he first meets Helen Pan.  

*

Helen Pan is a beauty- her brown eyes large and doe-like, her brown hair framing her small face and her posture straight.

And she says, her voice naturally alluring and quiet as she looks up to him.

“I want to help you escape from here.”

Steven blinks.

*

“You helped me get out of King Steve’s punishment,” she starts. “And I want to help you escape from here to find Ryan. I’m sorry, I overheard your conversation.”

Steven sighs, his eyebrows scrunching as he recalls the trembling cook in front of the king.

“Hey, I appreciate your enthusiasm and all, but-”

“-Ryan was my friend.”

He snaps his attention to the shorter girl’s fierce expression, her long eyelashes trembling as tears start to well up in her eyes.

“You know how his dad is– So usually, at the end of the day, he would come to me and my parents and stay with us. He’s been with us since the queen died, and after my parents passed-”

Her voice breaks, tears finally flowing freely from her dark eyes.

“He’s like a brother to me,” she looks up at him, her expression wrecked. “I- I can’t lose my family again.”

*

After a few minutes of consoling the crying woman, Steven appoints Helen the task for packing him rations for the journey ahead.

The shorter woman complies without a single word of complaint, her brown eyes now steely as she slips off into the night.

Boogara perches on Steven’s veranda, her large eyes glinting against the moonlight and the flickering candle.

They wait, in silence.

*

Steven flees alone- his bag filled to the brim with supplies and his silver hair swaying against the wind.

He runs with blind determination- away from the quiet mansion, away from the mocking laughter, away from his angry parents.

He thinks of Ben’s sad smile, Helen’s tears as she begged him to bring Ryan back safely.

The said man’s honing pigeon coo’s loudly above him, gliding through the night sky.

The silver-haired boy runs. _(Away from everything.)_

*

There’s only so far you can go with a bird as your guide; especially when the bird seems insistent that Steven fly across the sea.

But Steven is smart, and has good communication skills, and he wants to find Ryan as soon as possible.

He manages to convince a fisherman to lend him his boat- with promises of wealth and riches afterwards- and sails away from the country.

He stands in the creaking boat and navigates, following Boogara’s path and sleeping when Boogara rested.

They eat together and sleep together- Steven talking to Boogara in an attempt to fill the peaceful silence.

Steven wonders how his parents would react once they find out that he’s gone.

_(Not well, he knows. He only hopes that they would understand.)_

*

Upon reaching his destination, he stealthily boards the ship, his muscles trained from the self-defense classes his parents had forced him to attend since his kidnapping 17 years ago.

Boogara circled the ship in the air, her cries alerting him that _this_ was where Ryan had sent the letter from- that _Ryan was here._

He creeps down the empty hallway, the flickering candles and creaking wood adding to the eerie atmosphere.

He doesn’t know what to expect.

*

And when he senses a presence behind him, when he sees a swift movement out of his peripheral vision- he spins and _pounces_.

He knows to hit them where it hurts, to break bones if necessary- so he doesn’t bother looking at the pirate’s face as he dances forward, eyes glinting and deadly.

The figure counters his moves, swiftly dodging and attacking in the narrow corridor.

They par against one another, Steven pressing forward as he ducks and swiftly swipes the floor with his feet, only to have the other jump upwards.

He dodges the figure’s drop kick and jumps up, ready to attack.

And when he jabs an arm into the body in front of him, he feels a second presence behind him and he turns to attack-

And proceeds to trip over a badly placed plank.

*

He yelps and falls forwards, the second attacker losing his balance in surprise as he stumbles downwards.

Without thinking, his fingers had curled themselves onto the first attacker and pulled the other down with him, earning him a surprised squawk and a loud gasp.

The three of them collapse on the floor, Steven sandwiched between two firm bodies as he groans- his voice coming out more as a high-pitch whimper as he’s pinned and unable to move.

He lays on top of the second attacker, straddling him as the first attacker fell directly behind him, his body pressed flush against his back.

He attempts to wiggle himself out of his position before two pairs of hands grip his waist and his shoulder, refusing to let him move.

“Who are you,” Adam hisses. “And what are you doing on our ship?”

“We might just kill you depending on your answer,” Andrew breathes. “ _Speak._ ”

*

“Alright, alright!” Steven says, his body jerking slightly as he suppresses a groan from how tight the two males were holding onto him. “ _Ouch-_ hey, I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”

“You guys happen to kidnap someone called Ryan?” he asks.

_Silence._

“I’ll take that as a yes- Huh, I actually managed to find you guys and get on the right ship? Nice!”

Adam snorts below him, his expression slightly amused. Andrew lets out a barely repressed chuckle.

“And who are you to him?” Andrew asks.

Steven looks up to him, grinning wide and giving him the full force of his smile as he answers.

“I’m his best friend! Steven Lim, nice to meet you two.”

*

Andrew’s eyes widens as he looks away from his face, and Steven thinks that he sees a red flush crawl up the shorter male’s neck.

He feels Adam move below him and looks downwards at the other male, tilting his head sideways and softly asking.

“So… is my answer to your liking, _sir?_ ”

He feels Adam shiver under him and beams.

_(He doesn’t know why, but a surge of pleasure passes through him when he sees the two men react to his words.)_

“Well, if both of you are fine with not killing me- can we get up now? Something’s been poking me in the back and on my stomach for a while now- Hmm. Do you guys have guns or something?”

He’s never seen two males blush so hard before jerking themselves off him, their eyes wide and faces red.

_Huh?_

*

“ _Steven!?”_

Hearing his best friend’s voice was like a breath of fresh air- Steven thinks he might just collapse from relief as he manages a smile.

“Hey, Ry! Since your asshole dad refused to send out a search team for you- I came to find you myself!”

He watches as the tall man seated opposite of Ryan tenses, his fond expression changing into something- _oh._

_(He’s beginning to wonder if money was really the only thing the tall pirate wants from Ryan.)_

And then Ryan hurls himself into his arms, and Steven thinks everything in the world is all right, now.

*

“You do know that we won’t let you go back home, right?” Shane asks, his tone serious as Steven explained how he came to. “If you want a room, you have to help with the chores around here.”

Steven blinks. “Aren’t you guys treating me a little too nicely for pirates?”

“Well,” Shane snorts, “We’re the nicer kind of pirates, really. We’re all humans too, you know.”

Steven raises an eyebrow.

“Well then, I happen to be _very good_ at housekeeping.”

*

“Who made this stew for dinner today!? _Please marry me and cook for me every day-_ ”

“Is it just me or are the floors _shining-_ Holy crap _did I just slip, what the fuck!?_ ”

“I’m going to _kiss_ the person who _actually made all of our beds_ -”

Steven laughs, his silver hair rustling against the wind as he receives serenades and love confessions from the excited pirates.

_(He doesn’t see the way the Andrew would gulp at how ethereal he looked- the way Adam would stare at him unabashedly, a hint of a blush on his cheeks.)_

Shane had one bite of Steven’s famous stew before deciding that Steven was _definitely_ good enough for an upgraded room.

Ryan sits next to him, a boyish grin on his face as Boogara coos on his shoulder. Steven glances at his best friend, watching the way the shorter male would chuckle and flush while talking to the taller captain.

_(He hasn’t looked this happy in a long, long time.)_

*

“So- are you a pirate now?”

Steven asks him, when they’re alone in their room and curled up against one another, like the old days.

Ryan had managed to convince Shane to let him and Steven room together, much to the older man’s chagrin- but it looked like even the mighty captain could not handle a teary-eyed-begging Ryan.

Ryan looks up at him, his eyes losing a little of its usual spark.

“I…” Ryan sighs. “I don’t know, I mean- he’s only keeping me around for my ransom.”

“You’re happy here.” Steven comments, and Ryan shuffles in his side of the bed, pressing himself up against the taller man.

They stay quiet for a while, the ship rocking against the waves peacefully, like a lullaby.

Ryan breaks the silence.

“Yeah,” He whispers, his voice trembling and small. “I’m happy here.”

Steven smiles, and hugs the smaller man tight in his arms.

_(Really, that’s all he had ever wanted.)_

*

“What kind of pirates are you?”

_(Steven’s used to waking up early to complete the house chores- it was the one thing his parents had made sure to ingrain into him when he was a child.)_

_(So when he wakes up and quietly roams around the ship, it comes to his surprise when he sees the captain leaning against the edge of the boat, silently staring at the rising sun.)_

“Hmm?” Shane hums in reply, his eyes never leaving the view in front of him.

“You’re too trusting for an intruder on your boat. What if I was an assassin sent to kill you?”

Hazel orbs flicker onto him, and suddenly Steven feels the temperature _plummet_ , his heart beating a hundred miles per minute, and every fiber of his being is screaming at him to _run you’re in danger-_

“Are you?” Shane softly asks, his voice low and his gaze deadly.

Steven’s mouth goes dry, his heart beating fast as he replies. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m not.”

“Well,” Shane starts, looking away. “I’ve always been a pretty good judge of character.”

The temperature returns to normal, and Steven’s breathing hard, feeling weak and relieved.

 _(This man is dangerous, his instincts scream_. _He could’ve killed me whenever he wanted to._ )

*

He stays quiet after that, leaning against the edge and looking down at the water.

“We’re the kind of pirates who would steal money from the undeserving rich,” Shane suddenly speaks up, his voice soft and steady. “And give the money to the poor, to the famine-ridden families struggling to survive.”

Steven turns to look at the captain, his eyes wide and searching.

“All of us on this boat came from the slums.” He says, sighing and turning around. “We know how it’s like- to face death every single day.”

Steven watches in silence as the captain leaves, his dark blue coat swaying against the sea breeze.

*

And when Steven returns to his room, Ryan’s snoring and mumbling in his sleep.

Just as he was about the shake the smaller man awake, he hears a single name slip out of his lips.

“Shane…”

Steven remembers the way Ryan didn’t mind getting married to Brent for political benefit, the way Ryan would brush him off when he mentioned anything about freedom, seemingly content with being a spoilt prince.

He thinks that Ryan _would_ mind if he got married to his fiancé, now.

_(And he’s sure a certain captain would mind, too.)_

*

“We never finished the fight, have we?”

Steven approaches Andrew and Adam later in the day, his silver hair glinting against the light. They were lounging out in the deck, resting from their daily duties on the ship for lunch.

Adam raises an eyebrow as the other man lets on a surprised chuckle, his expression changing from one of boredom to one of excitement.

“You’re a pretty good fighter,” he comments and smiles, and Steven feels his heart accelerate because _it should be illegal for someone to look that good-_

“Why don’t you two go for a round here, then?” Adam speaks up, his eyes twinkling with mirth and when their eyes meet, Steven feels his cheeks heat up and _these symptoms have never happened before what is happening-_

He’s cut off of his inner monologue when he realizes the two men were looking at him expectantly.

“Let’s go, then!”

He ignores the throbbing in his heart and the burning of his cheeks.

*

And when Steven fights- he fights with small and graceful steps, swiftly dodging and avoiding the other man’s jabs and kicks.

Adam watches in the sidelines as Andrew fakes a punch before kicking the other man’s legs from underneath him- only for the silver-haired man to jump upwards to avoid the hard kick.

He hasn’t had this much fun fighting against someone since his master passed away a few years back, leaving him as the strongest pupil to come out of his teachings.

_(No one in the town was willing to par against a silver-haired witch, and even if they did- they would blame their loss and incompetency on him cursing them.)_

_(He thinks the fact that none of the pirates here question his odd hair color- the fact that they simply treat him like a normal human- is oddly touching.)_

And when Andrew has Steven pinned onto the ground, his face pressed against the rough wood as he hisses in pain- he finally notices the pirates that had gathered around their little fight ring.

*

The pirates were cheering and laughing the entire time, their voices booming and encouraging. _(Steven feels his heart warm up at that, feels tears well up in his eyes at their words.)_

“You can do it next time, Steven! Keep going, sweetie!”

“Beat the Master Gunner’s ass for us, will ya?”

“You almost got him there- Andrew, you suck!”

Andrew shouts back at them and releases his hold, a big smile present in his face as he reaches out to help Steven stand up.

And then he falters when he sees the tears in Steven’s eyes, his mouth gaping and his eyes widening as the pirates _explode._

*

_“Did Andrew fucking make Steven cry!? I bet your sweet ass I will fucking fight you-”_

_“Form a protective circle around Steven! Shield our lord and savior against the sun!”_

_“Pass me the tissues! What do you mean there aren’t any- go get some from the captain’s room right now! This is an emergency!”_

Steven lets out a squawk of surprise when the pirates surround him, their faces masked with worry as he sees Adam pulling Andrew by the ear and lecturing him at the side.

“Guys!” He shouts, his voice laced with astonished laughter as the pirates turn to look at him, their expressions filled with so much concern that Steven feels tears start to well up in his eyes again.

“I’m not crying because Andrew beat me,” he starts, and his cheeks warm and his vision swims. “I- No one has ever shown me that much support before, and-”

He lets out a tiny hiccup as tears start rolling down his cheeks.

“Thank you for being so kind to me.”

He looks up and he can’t see anything because the tears are still in his eyes, but he knows everyone’s looking at him- so he smiles.

*

_(And for the rest of the day, the pirates who were exposed to the full force of Steven’s smile could not focus on their allocated tasks.)_

_(Instead, they kept looking off at a distance, into the sunset- wondering how bad would it be if they ‘accidentally’ got Steven to sign marriage papers with them, women and men alike.)_

_(Adam wants to kiss the younger man and fuck him into the bed at the same time, and then he thinks that he wants Andrew to be there to fuck the silver-haired man too and oh- that’s an idea.)_

_(Andrew wants to hide the younger man away from everyone who has ever hurt him, hide him somewhere where no one knows and make sure he’s safe and protected.)_

_(But by god- he wants to fuck the younger man senseless- hear his moans and mewls when he uses his cock to-)_

_(Andrew flinches and wonders why he’s feeling this way when he has Adam.)_

*

Steven experiences his first bandit invasion when Ryan shakes him awake one night, his voice hushed and his expression serious.

He groans blearily, but when he hears a muffled scream and a crash- he’s awake.

“Ryan- what’s happening?” he asks, panic laced in his voice as the younger man shushes him.

“ _Bandits_.” Ryan whispers, before quietly opening his drawer to reveal a gun. “The policy is to kill them before they kill you, really.”

Steven looks at him in wonder as he loads the gun with quick efficiency, his calm and collected demeanor showing that he’s been through this before.

“Shane’s been teaching me how to shoot,” he explains as he passes Steven a sword hung taut against the wall. “The last time I didn’t know how to shoot- a bandit shot me in the leg.”

“ _Wait- what the fuck, Ryan!?”_ Steven hisses, eyes glancing around the empty corridor as they shut the door to their room. “ _You didn’t tell me that!”_

“Oops,” and Ryan grins his signature boyish smile at him before entering the deck, and Steven sighs before following him.

*

“Shane!”

Ryan runs off to the captain, the tall man’s sword glinting against the raging fire as he swings it with deadly efficiency.

“Ry- you idiot, stay back!”

“Shut up, Shane!”

_Chaos._

All Steven could think about was the amount of people on the deck- the way the pirates clashed swords against the grinning, dirty bandits- the way dead bandits littered the floor- he knows that he has to help.

He sighs.

“Well, this is going to be a pain in the ass to clean.”

He charges.

*

Steven’s slumped on the floor, his shoulder aching and his hand burning as Adam leans against him, breathing deeply and groaning.

The fight’s over, the bandits were all killed and they were safe- but damn if it wasn’t tiring.

 “So,” Steven sighs. “You guys do this every other day?”

Adam glances up at him, and Steven looks down and _oh his eyelashes are really long- wait, is it just me or our faces are really close-_

“Mmm,” the brown-haired man looks away and plops his head on Steven’s lap, “Every week, probably.”

Steven feels his face flush at the other man’s bold action, his eyes dilating as he hesitantly places his hand on the other man’s _(surprisingly!)_ soft hair.

“That’s tiring,” he comments as he runs his fingers through the brown locks, watching how the other man’s eyes flutter close as he groans in appreciation.

He looks up and sees the other pirates loot the bandit’s ship, lugging in gold and treasure boxes alike.

“So this is how we earn money, huh? I have to say that we _really_ deserve those gold.”

Adam lets out a quiet laugh as he turns and snuggles into Steven’s stomach, his face buried into the silver-haired man’s shirt as the Asian man giggles.

*

Steven glances up and sees Ryan fretting around the captain, a short, purple-haired girl crouched next to him as she cleared his injuries.

And he watches as the captain looks up at the younger male with so much _affection_ in his eyes that Steven has to look away by how intimate it is.

“Shane’s totally pinning after Ryan.”

Steven looks up at the origin of the voice and sees Andrew smiling down at him, his blue eyes and golden hair striking against the rising sun.

He laughs and motions the other man to sit next to him as Adam mumbles a muffled “Hey”.

Andrew looks down at his sleepy boyfriend and chuckles, plopping himself next to Steven as he ruffles both of their heads.

Steven smiles, leaning into the other man’s touch as he hums in appreciation.

*

Unknowing to the trio, Ryan watches the three interact with keen interest.

“They’re in love with each other, aren’t they?”

Shane and Sara looks up at him, confused and searching.

And then they turn to look at the way Adam is lying on Steven’s lap, the way Andrew has his head perched on Steven’s shoulder and the way Steven’s running his fingers through Adam’s hair while leaning onto Andrew.

“Huh.” Sara comments, her eyebrows raised. “If I didn’t see that, I would’ve called it bullshit.”

Ryan hums, his eyes glinting under the light. “I’m pretty sure Adam and Andrew were interested in Steven since he first arrived- I mean, they _were_ blushing when they bought him in.”

“Wait, what?” Shane cuts in, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “I’m pretty sure Andrew was the only one blushing back then.”

“Nah, Adam’s ears were bright red.”

*

_(Sara listens in to their conversation as Ryan begins to tell Shane every little quirk he noticed from everyone, the way Claude would scratch his ears when telling a lie, the way Jocelyn would curl her fingers when she was feeling upset.)_

_(She wonders how someone so good at reading others is so bad at realizing the person right next to him is in love with him.)_

_(She then decides that it was none of her business, smiles sweetly to the two boys, and leaves to attend to the other pirates.)_

_(It sure is tough to be the only medic in the ship.)_

*

Everything changes the second time they were attacked by bandits- and it happened so swiftly that no one even noticed it happened until the deed was done.

It was as per usual, Ryan waking up from the sound of crashes outside before shaking the other man awake.

Everything was fine until two armed bandits’ barge into their room, immediately holding them at gunpoint, as they hissed at them to stay quiet and follow them.

And when Steven sees a familiar brand etched across their shirts, he freezes.

_(The disgusting brand that’s etched across his back, the filthy brand that they had burned into his flesh-)_

_(The brand that haunts him till this day.)_

*

Ryan drops his gun with a clatter, his expression stunned as Steven raises his hands in surrender, ready to attack when necessary.

_(He knows that he can’t attack the armed men, because he can only fight one of them at a time.)_

_(And if he does attack them- he won’t be able to protect Ryan.)_

But what they didn’t expect was the arrival of Claude, jogging to a stop at their open door and seeing the bandits’ inside- his face immediately paling and dawning in realization.

_(Steven’s eyes widening in horror as he cries at him to leave-)_

None of them were ready when one of the bandits shoot him right in the stomach, then and there.

_(Steven can’t even recognize his own scream as he sees the other man’s body jerk-)_

Ryan screams of despair as Claude hits the floor, bleeding.

_(It was his fault, it was all his fault-)_

_(If only he had reacted sooner- Claude would’ve-)_

*

The pirates celebrate their win against the bandits, their cheers ringing against the night sky.

“Ry-” Shane looks around, his triumphant grin faltering as he calls, “Wait- where’s Ryan?”

The crew shuffle against one another, their excited expressions dissolving as they look around the empty ship.

“Hey,” Andrew looks up from his chair, huffing as he glances around. “Has anyone seen Steven?”

Adam glances up from where he’s slumped on the ground at the mention of Steven’s name, his eyes fluttering as he looks around the ship.

“Something’s wrong.” Jocelyn starts, her fingers curling around her skirt as she looks at the crew with concern in her dark eyes. “Claude left to call Ryan and Steven when the bandits first came, and he hasn’t returned since then.”

And as if on cue- the wooden door to the deck slams open.

Claude stumbles out of the lower deck, one hand clutching onto his bloodied stomach as he falls onto the ground with a cry.

_“Claude!?”_

The entire ship is silent as Jocelyn sprints to her lover’s side, panic laced in her voice. She kneels on the floor and tries to support him, her hands bloodying immediately as she gasps.

Ignoring his girlfriend, Claude looks up in anguish- his dark eyes teary, his usually deadpan face gone as he delivers his message to the captain.

_“The bandits took them.”_

*

“Ah- this must be your first time seeing me.”

Steven looks up from his gag, his eyes blazing with anger as Ryan struggles against the ropes with no prevail, tear streaks evident in both of their eyes.

A figure walks out of the darkness, his shiny shoes tapping against the floor, blue pants and perfectly made shirt taut against his muscles- and Steven’s thoughts stop there because _wait why does he look like Ryan-_

“Hello,” the not-Ryan purrs, his voice smooth and silky. He smiles a smile so unlike Ryan that Steven has to look away, feeling as if he was going to throw up.

“My name is Ricky. _Ricky Goldsworth_.”

He pauses, hardened and cold eyes flitting towards a stunned Ryan before continuing.

“And I am the man who is going to take over the throne.”

**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THank you for reading!!!! It's always great to know people care about my work, so leave a kudo or a comment!!!  
> I love you guys!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the Grey Ghost, the captain jolts up from his restless sleep, eyes widened in panic.
> 
> "Ryan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi there! i'm back! (don't kill me for going on a hiatus please)  
> god i'm so sorry it took this long to post another chapter :( i've been reading all your comments and honestly? that helped me push through this chapter.  
> even when i'm honestly disappointed in this chapter. i mean- compared to the first two? this doesn't even hold a candle. hold the candle?  
> i just wanted to give you all something for always being there for me. i feel terrible about this level of writing (along with not hitting my usual writing limit? check out my endnotes) and i might rewrite this chapter sometime in the future. just, probably not now, huh?  
> i honestly love you guys. check out my end notes for more info bbs  
> tbh i MAY OR MAY NOT be starting a new bfu fic (wink wonk)
> 
> this chapter is dedicated to you, who is reading this.

"So, what do you think? Our faces are practically identical, ain't it?"

Ricky squats down next to Ryan, his face a mask of excitement. Two men stand by the door, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Mm!" Ryan groans against his gag, struggling to talk. "Mhmm!"

"I know, I know." he laughs, kicking Ryan in the face. The said man falls with a cry of pain, collapsing against the wall as blood trickles down his nose.

He then pulls out a gun and aims it at Steven.

*

"Mmm!" Ryan cries out, kicking and flailing as the silver-haired man tenses. He jerks himself forwards and in front of the other man, glaring in defiance, fresh blood spilling down his nose.

Steven gives out a muffled protest, eyes widening.

"Honestly, why are you even here?" The Ryan look-alike sneers, motioning the two guards to come forward. "Explain why you took him too."

"S-sir, there were in the same room, and-"

"Are you two fucking?" Ricky cuts in, staring at the two men in front of him. They stay silent and look away.

"Interesting."

He pulls the trigger.

_Bang._

*

The two guards lay dead, on the ground.

Two clear shots straight through their chest.

Ryan's sobbing, his heart pounding as Steven leans against him protectively, horrified as he watches the life drains out of the two guard's eyes.

"Fucking idiots, I told you to bring the prince back, not a random white-haired witch. Now I've got to change all my plans."

Ricky rolls his eyes and whistles, smiling when two other men appear from the door, a solemn look in their faces as they drag the bodies away.

"Now that we're clear of nuisances in this room- let's see what I can find out about you, hmm?"

Steven spits into his face the moment his gag is released.

Ricky slams his foot into Ryan's stomach as the younger man screams.

"No tricks, stupid _witch._ " Ricky sighs dramatically. "We don't want your dear Ryan to get hurt, do we?"

"Fuck you," Steven breathes, hatred in his eyes. "I have nothing to tell you."

Ryan shouts in agony when Ricky digs his heel further inwards, pain contorting his features.

"We can play it this way, or-" Ricky stops, the gears in his head seemingly turning as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. " _Oh."_

Steven rushes to Ryan when Ricky moves his foot, clearly distracted.

"You," Ricky says, a smile widening on his face. "You're the mayor's son, aren't you? _That_ child who ran away."

He leans down and rips the clothes off Steven's back.

_"The one whom we branded."_

He hikes his sleeve up and reveals the same mark that would never fade from his back, that scarred him when he was only 10.

Steven feels his heart stop.

*

"My father started this organization the same year he took you," Ricky drawls, pulling a blade from his pocket. "You were the foundation, really."

Ryan's staring at him, wide-eyed and unbelieving as Steven shakes, the traumatic memories all rushing back to him.

"You were supposed to be the first child for our child trafficking ring." He says, twirling the blade in his hands. "But after what happened to you? They decided to instead diverge on- what I like to call- _other_ perspectives."

Steven feels bile rise in his throat, tears welling up in his eyes.

_(He feels as if he's 10 again, when the men forced him down, when the red-hot poker dug into his back.)_

_"You sick son of a bitch_ ," He hisses instead, ignoring the tremor in his voice. "You have no idea how much I- how-"

"Ah, too bad that I _do_ have an idea," Ricky cuts in, eyes dark. "After all, he'd been doing it to me since I was 8."

Steven stills.

*

"I suppose I've got to thank you for that, really." he goes on. "He stopped doing it to me after what happened to you."

Ryan's silent on the floor, a nauseated look in his face. ( _Steven wants to throw up, too.)_

"He was designing the brand's logo and decided to test it out on me. It also didn't help that the child of a wanted criminal was born to become a look-alike with the country's crowned prince, you know?"

The Ryan imposter pulls up his shirt, and-

Logo's and scars were littered all over his stomach, his chest, his back. There wasn't once piece of skin that was without any marks.

Steven hears Ryan take in a quick breath before promptly throwing up at the side.

"I bet he's never seen your scars, hmm?" Ricky taunts, pulling his shirt back down. Steven flinches. "Judging by that, he hasn't."

"It's not of your business." Steven spits out, willing himself to stay calm. "Just because you told us your sob story doesn't make you taking us any kinds of justifiable. We get it, you have daddy issues."

"Oh, that's not really it kidnapping!" Ricky claps his hands together. "I killed him as soon as I finished my first mission- I even made sure he _suffered thoroughly_ before he died. I took over the organization, yada-yada. Which brings me to you, Ryan."

He turns towards the younger man.

_"Your mother."_

*

"You look exactly like her, you know?"

Ryan stills as Steven winces, feeling sick at the look of utter pain in the younger man’s face.

"She was just like you, yeah. The same look in her eyes when she saw me in the crowd, when she saw what I was going to do to you."

Ryan visibly recoils to that, pain evident in his face as realization dawns upon both of their eyes. Steven growls and struggles harder against the chains tying them onto the ground, sneering.

"That was my first mission- actually. To kill you." he breathes, a smile rising in his face. "It was supposed to be a warning- your life for what your mother was trying to accomplish."

_(Steven wants to cover Ryan's ears, knows that the younger man won't be able to take whatever comes out next.)_

"It was a pity I didn't get you, but killing your mother? That was a bonus point for me. It gave me _such_ a thrill."

Ricky closes his eyes for a moment, as if savoring the memory.

When he opens his eyes, he glances down at the two of them with a twisted kind of pleasure in his eyes.

"But you know what the best thing was?"

Ryan's trying to respond, trying to yell- but all that came out was muffled moans as he struggles against his gag.

"The best thing was that no one caught me!" He guffaws loudly, throwing his head back and runs a hand through his messy hair.

"No one would expect me, a sweet prince look-alike, a child- to do such a crime!" Ricky smiles, his expression deranged and crazed before he reaches towards Ryan.

"The entire country believed that they managed to kill the killer- a placeholder in case anything went wrong- _when it was me all along_!"

Ryan flinches as Ricky runs his nails over his cheek, tracing his lips while licking his own. He glares as Ricky smiles and reaches towards the gag to slowly pull the dirty cloth off.

"Fuck you," Ryan sobs, fresh tears streaking down his face as fury courses through him. "Fuck- You! You are a fucking- Fucker- _What the fuck did we even do to you!?"_

Ricky stands up with a start- and whacks his foot against Ryan's face. He giggles as Ryan sprawls across the floor, spiting blood as Steven pulls desperately against his chains, shouting.

Ryan's a crumpled heap on the ground, coughing and hacking when Ricky bends down and holds his face gingerly in his hands.

"Your mother simply came too close to the truth."

He licks his lips again.

*

"You don't have to enter the interrogation with me, Claude." Shane says tiredly. "You should rest. Your bullet would hasn't even healed over, yet."

"No, it's fine." Claude replies, voice choking. "It's my fault, after all- that Ryan and Steven-"

Shane turns sharply towards the younger man and smacks him in the face.

"-Ow!?"

"You dimwit," Shane says. "It's not your fault."

Claude stares at his captain, flabbergasted as his captain lets out a grunt and looks at him in the eye.

"Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't have prevented." Shane says. "They caught you off guard. They caught _all of us_ off guard."

Claude remains silent, eyes searching when Shane looks away, eyes darkening.

"And I'll find him, no matter what."

*

_(And when Claude feels the temperature plummet, feels his skin prickle in apprehension- he knows that his captain is getting ready for the interrogation.)_

_(But when the fear gets stronger, when even he starts shivering in terror- he realizes that Shane is letting go of himself so much that his presence alone managed to paralyze him on the spot.)_

_(He wills himself to not look away as the captain closes his eyes with a small hum, shaking and feeling terrified at the wrath of his anger, the intensity of the sadness his captain is seemingly emitting.)_

_(And when his captain opens his eyes- his usually calm and cool façade was gone- replaced with a bloodthirsty, cold yet savage flicker in his eyes.)_

_(He can't help but pity the poor soul who will be the target of his captain's rage.)_

*

"Now, let's begin."

*

" _Fuck!"_

Andrew's pacing around the room, his usual impeccable hair a mess as Jocelyn and Adam hover over a map, talking quietly and eyes dark from lack of sleep.

Sara quietly walks into the navigation room, handing out mugs of hot chocolate with a wry smile. The pirates mutter their thanks, before focusing back on their tasks.

"Jocelyn," Andrew stops, and walks towards the two. "How long has Shane been interrogating that bandit?"

"Andrew, for the last time- You've been asking me this every 2 minutes. It's only been 15 minutes, calm down."

"You expect me to calm down!? When Steven's captured somewhere by some sick son of a fucking bitch-"

" _Andrew."_ Adam snaps. "If you can't calm down, Get out. We're actually trying to work, here."

Andrew visibly deflates at his boyfriend's words and sinks into a sofa, cradling his head into his arms. Jocelyn shoves Adam lightly in the arm, chastising him for the harsh tone, eyes motioning Adam to cheer the other man up.

Adam sighs and leaves the table, plopping himself down next to Andrew with a groan.

Andrew tenses up, his body rigid when Adam leans his head on his shoulder.

"… I'm sorry." he murmurs, slowly nuzzling Andrew's neck. "I know you're worried- hell, all of us have been on edge since they were taken."

"We were fighting the bandits when they were taken, Adam." Andrew whispers, eyes closed. "We could've saved them, we could've-"

"We couldn't had done anything," Adam cuts in, voice steely. "I regret that we couldn't have done anything back then, but we aren't too late _now."_

He reaches over and holds his boyfriend in his arms, ignoring the wetness he feels on his shoulder as Andrew shakes.

"We're getting them back, no matter what."

Andrew nods, silently.

Adam closes his eyes and prays.

_Please be safe, Steven. Ryan._

_We're coming for you._

*

Shane walks into the room and the room quietens, tension rising high as the pirates anticipate the results of the interrogation.

There's blood splattered on his collar and sleeves as Sara rushes to him worriedly, but he raises his hand to stop her before she could touch him.

"It's alright," he says quietly. "The blood's not mine."

Sara nods tensely before slinking back into her chair, eyes dropping to the tall man's bruised and bloodied knuckles as she sighs.

The captain's eyes are cold and calculating when he speaks again.

"They call him Ricky Goldsworth." he starts, voice dark and dangerous.

"And we know where they're held."

*

"So, what happened to the bandit you guys interrogated?" Jocelyn asks, after they left the meeting room to rest before the big day.

Shane had told them everything the bandit had revealed to him during the interrogation and left to get his bruised knuckles treated by Sara.

"I didn't do much, actually." Claude says, a sad smile in his face. "Shane got him coughing up everything within 5 minutes, tops. He was more terrifying than usual today."

"He's desperate to get his lover back, you know." Jocelyn chides. "I'm pretty sure he hasn't slept since Ryan was taken."

"Lover? What do you-" Claude stops, eyes widening. "Ryan? Wait, him and Shane- they're dating?"

"Yeah?" Jocelyn blinks at him. "Aren't they?"

"I'm pretty sure they're not dating," he shrugs. "I mean, I'm pretty close with Ryan and he'd never said anything. As far as I could tell, Shane's been _pinning."_

"As if you didn't pin after me before we started dating." Jocelyn jokes, lacing their fingers together in one swift move. "Their sexual tension is off the charts, though."

"We better find Ryan soon before Shane dies of blue balls, then." He gives her a small, but sure smile. "You with me?"

"Hear, hear." She grins.

*

"You've overdone yourself."

Shane looks up from his chair, feeling Sara's fingers stilling him as she applies ointment onto his injured hand.

"I know." he replies, looking away. He's quiet for a few seconds. " _He's_ not here to stop me."

"You want to get him back," she says, eyes downcast. "But you can't burn yourself out in the process of doing so."

Shane lets out a mirthless laugh.

"From what I've even _heard_ of this guy-"

"I don't care! Do you even _want_ him back?" Sara snaps at him, words sharp. "Or do you want to save him and c _ollapse on the spot from overwork_?"

Shane stills. "I-"

"And don't you even _think_ I haven't noticed the dark circles under your eyes," Sara barrels on, ignoring the captain's stunned stammer. "How long has it been since you even had a good night's sleep, huh- And a proper meal? Anyone can tell you're running on fumes now! _"_

"Sara-"

"Shane." She sighs, calming down. "I know how much you want him back, but you're no use to any of us in this condition."

Shane's quiet, and Sara watches as he slowly lets go of his mask, lets the fear he's been repressing seep into his body.

"I can't," Shane chokes. "I can't not do anything, not while he's out there suffering, not-"

"You need rest, idiot." Sara bandages his hand neatly. "We're getting them back _tomorrow."_

"I-" Shane looks at his childhood friend in the eye, his carefully put on façade crumbling. "I don't know what to do if he's-"

"We'll get him back," Sara says, voice soft. "I swear to you. No matter what. And you know that I've never broken a promise, all this time."

Shane nods, quiet.

"Now, go rest. We need you tomorrow."

*

"Ryan- Ry!" Steven's shaking a gasping Ryan, fear trickling into his frantically pounding heart. "Come on, Ry. _Come on!"_

Ryan's trembling, his eyes rolled back into his head as he twitches on the ground.

Pain flares across his body as he struggles to breathe, bruises decorating his throat and arms, slashes splitting his skin with angry welts.

" _Ste- Steven…?"_ Ryan whispers, his throat burning. _"What's happening?"_

" _God, Ryan."_ Steven breathes, heart thumping in his chest. "You're going into shock."

"Mm," The smaller man hums, feeling his body slow down, feeling his mind calm. "I'll be fine in a minute… I just need… A little time."

Steven hugs the younger man in his arms, feeling the other man nuzzle into his shoulder.

"They'll find us soon, Ryan." the taller man chokes. "I'm sure they will."

Ryan closes his eyes, feeling sleep overtake him with a small sigh on his lips.

_"Shane…"_

*

On the _Grey Ghost_ , the captain jolts up from his restless sleep, eyes widened in panic.

_"Ryan."_

*

_("Tell me!" he's screaming, arms gesturing widely at the whimpering man beneath him. "Where is the diary!?")_

_("I don't-" Ryan lets out a yelp of pain as he brings down his whip again. "I don't know- What- You're talking about!")_

_("Sir, I don't think-")_

_("Shut the fuck up! Am I the boss here or are you!?! I'm tired, you two keep going! Make sure he spills today!")_

_("… Yes, sir.")_

*

They’ve lost track of time.

It's a routine, now.

Every few hours or so, Ricky would tug Ryan away, despite Steven's desperate attempts to divert their attention onto himself.

And after what always seemed like _years_ to Steven, he would throw the wounded man, broken and wrecked- back into the cell, the abuser himself seething and fuming.

And every time, Steven would piece him back together.

*

_(And when Steven's lucky enough to be taken right after Ryan's thrown back into jail, he's glad that he can at least take this for the other man._

_(He's grateful, even when he can hear the other man's sobs begging him to come back, to take him instead.)_

_(He'd always had a higher tolerance of pain, so-)_

_(He'll keep them busy, alright.)_

_(He'll take it for Ryan.)_

*

Steven snaps awake with a start when he hears heavy footsteps clinking towards their cell, muffled talking ringing across the walls.

Rising slowly, he crouches in front of Ryan's sleeping form, hiding the younger man as much as he could from the approaching men.

"-time," Steven hears a man talk. "Boss said we're going for plan Alpha, soon."

"You think we'll be caught?" Another says uneasily. "I'm only helping him because I have a little brother to feed, but isn't plan Alpha a little…"

"Hey, no backing out now." The first man retorts, tone sharp. "You do realize how much it'll help your money situation if it works, right?"

"Well, I guess. But ethically this just doesn't feel right, you know."

"Who cares about ethics at this point-"

Steven curses to himself when the men's voices drift further away.

The men talked of a plan that was apparently ethically _wrong_ \- how bad _is_ the plan when even the bad guys were questioning whether doing something like that was right- after kidnapping them both?

He glances back at the unconscious prince, feeling raw and tired. He knows he can't leave- not with Ryan's condition, not when the younger man isn't even capable of walking steadily, let alone running.

"Mm…" Ryan hums, "Sha- Steven...?"

Steven shuffles closer to the other man.

"Hey." he sighs, exhausted. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not Shane."

"You ass," Ryan grins lightly, clearly tired. "Sleep. You need to rest."

The taller man wonders how Ryan can still smile, even when he's beaten into pieces, even when they're both broken.

_(Ryan doesn't know this, but- he had always thought that Ryan was the stronger one of the two.)_

"Yeah, alright."

*

_(And he knows that the younger man isn't trained to be a fighter. That he isn't really suited to be one, either.)_

_(But he is.)_

_(And he knows that this isn't his first time getting kicked, beaten up and whipped. No, his silver-white hair is an obvious testament to that.)_

_(But it's Ryan's first.)_

_(He'll make sure to take it for him.)_

_(After all- it's not like it's something he'd never been through before.)_

*

By the sixth day, Steven is a little appalled at how easily it has all become a routine to him.

He and Ryan eats his meals when they’re presented to them and then Ryan gets dragged away. After the fourth day, Steven knows what to say to piss Ricky off in order to take the torture for Ryan.

He spends his days dreaming about the shortly lived freedom he had managed to acquire, that he had dreamed of all along. He thinks of Adam and Andrew and what they could be, about how everyone else was doing.

He spends his nights with Ryan. He talks to the younger man endlessly about the on goings back in the castle when he was gone, talks about anything just so he didn’t feel so alone, just so Ryan could sleep to the sound of his voice.

By the sixth day, things seem normal. He should be plotting to escape, but with Ryan’s situation- he can’t.

*

And by the seventh day, everything changes.

Ricky walks up to their cell, a cackle in his laugh when he sees the two huddled in a corner, chains binding them to the floor.

The two men glare at him, Steven still feeling disgusted about seeing Ryan's face contort the way Ricky's does.

"Sir, the preparations are ready."

A dark-haired man trudges up to Ricky, a solemn look in his face as Ricky's face turns serious for a second, and smiles.

A raven caws from a distance- and Steven thinks of the bad omen a raven brings, feels an odd surge of fear rising up in his chest.

"Alright, Steven- it's your time to shine!"

*

 _"No!"_ Ryan stammers in horror as Ricky _howls_ in laughter, "No- my father wouldn't have- he wouldn't-"

"How well do you even know your _own_ father, honey?" Ricky chides. "Well, I'm sure he doesn't really know you, does he?"

The dark-haired man grabs Steven by his silver hair, eliciting a cry of pain as he's dragged out of their cell- as Ryan scrambles desperately behind them before being shut behind bars.

"Say goodbye to your boyfriend, Ryan!" Ricky grins. "He's a nuisance, either ways!"

"You- fucking-" Ryan's crying, firmly locked inside the cell, a bloodied hand reaching out to Steven. "Steven- no! You can't- they can't do this- I can't-"

"It's alright, Ry." Steven's voice is shaky, his heart beating a mile a minute. "Hey, hey- look at me."

The younger man looks up, wrecked and trembling- and Steven feels his heart calm at the sight.

_(He knows that Shane will come for Ryan- no matter what. That the smaller man will be safe. That he'll be protected, even without himself there.)_

_(He knows what he has to say.)_

He smiles, one last time.

"I love you," he whispers, voice unintentionally breaking. "Thank you, for being my friend when no one else wanted to."

He's yanked out with Ryan's cries and screams of protests ringing in his ears. _(But he doesn't want to die, wants to keep living-)_

He thinks that perhaps it's time. _(He wants to see Adam and Andrew, wants to be with them, wants to love them-)_

It's a good way to go. _(Wants so many more, yet-)_

*

Ryan despairs.

_(Why can’t he even save the people he cares about why he is such a failure why doesn’t his father love him why is this happening to them why can’t he just love in peace why can’t Steven live why-)_

*

"What the fuck is this?"

Adam's trembling, breathing heavily as the flier slips off his fingers, as the flier falls onto the ground with a soft _flop,_ as he collapses onto the ground with a loud _thud_.

"No," Andrew says, his voice shaking. "No, no- we have to- Shane, we need to- we've got to-"

"I know." Shane breathes, closing his eyes, feeling his heart clench in panic.

_“I know.”_

_*_

_Come one, come all to watch a white-haired witch's execution! Execution breakfast is served for $5 in the inns around the town hall._

_Execution issued by Ryan Steven Bergara, Crowned prince. Approved by the king._

_Steven Lim's death will be by hanging._

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. an explanation.  
> phone broke, lost my notes, lost inspiration, lost interest.  
> i could go on and on, but that's just me giving reasons. and half assed ones, to the boot.  
> just... life, man. moving to a new country takes a toll on you. but again- that's another bullshit reason.  
> i didn't even make it to my usual 5k words, which sucks. originally i was planning to end this fic in 3 chapters, but now? i might be dragging it on to 4 or 5. (i just kinda really wanted to end it with a cliffhanger) (don't kill me)  
> i don't know where i'm even going, man.  
> honestly? the amount of support all of you gave me was astounding. i was shocked that people were still reading this fic nowadays.  
> still am btw.  
> i love you. thank you.  
> come talk to me @weirdo-ing on tumblr, i won't bite (unless asked to)

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by umisabaku's works and if you're interested in so intense KnB and Haikyuu! supernatural drama please go check out her work.


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